Captain America (Chris Evans) will gain a wing man in the sequel, The Winter Soldier.

Anthony Mackie will play The Falcon, a bird-lover born Sam Wilson who hails from Harlem. He was Marvel’s first African-American superhero and a solid ally for Cap. Mackie says the directing duo – Joe and Anthony Russo – have done the character justice:

“The Russos have the ability to give dignity and substance to a character without making him heavy and hokey,” he says. “What was so cool about the script was having a three-dimensional real person that just happens to be a tactical expert that can fly.”

In the comic books, The Falcon joined the superhero team the Defenders, appearing in issues #62-64 (Aug.–Oct.1978), and later hooked up with the Avengers from issues #183-194 (May 1979 – April 1980).

He even had a storyline with the Scarlet Witch in ‘Avengers Disassembled’, where she restored his criminal personality. Incidentally, she’ll be bewitching audiences in Joss Whedon’s Avengers: Age Of Ultron, and Anthony Mackie would like Falcon to join her.

“I think if the Falcon is added to The Avengers’ world, I’m looking for the opportunity to take down Iron Man, so I’ll be the only flying Avenger,” he says. “Thor doesn’t count. The hammer flies. He doesn’t fly!”

In The Winter Soldier at least, The Falcon will be regaining his rightful place by Steve Rogers’ side. Co-director Joe Russo says that Cap needs him now more than ever: “The Captain is looking for a friend in the modern world. He lost everyone and everything that he knew, and Falcon could be that guy.”